Papers by John E Zumberge
Crude oils and source rock cores from Paleozoic units in the Williston basin of Montana, North Da... more Crude oils and source rock cores from Paleozoic units in the Williston basin of Montana, North Dakota, and Saskatchewan were geochemically correlated by comparing aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons and stable carbon isotope ratios. Tricyclic diterpane distributions were particularly useful in defming five families of oils and showed that the Mission Canyon oil family was sourced by the Mississippian Bakken Formation. The effects of maturation that can be observed in the Mission Canyon group of oils include a progressive loss of even carbon number preference of the n-alkanes, an increase in the pristane to phytane ratio, a positive shifi in the stable carbon isotope ratios, a loss of triterpanes and regular steranes, and a relative increase in the benzothiophene series compared with the phenanthrene series. Lower molecular weight tricyclic diterpanes increase relative to higher molecular weight diterpanes during maturation, yet these effects are not of sufficient magnitude to obscur...
AAPG Bulletin, 1987
Despite significant production in the southern Mid-Continent, organic geochemical characterizatio... more Despite significant production in the southern Mid-Continent, organic geochemical characterization of oils and potential source rocks has been limited and, with respect to correlation studies, somewhat inconclusive. In the present study, 46 Oklahoma oils of varying reservoir ages (Cambro-Ordovician to Pennsylvanian-Morrowan) from an extensive geographic area were analyzed for saturate and aromatic hydrocarbon distributions, percent S, and stable carbon isotopic compositions. Eighteen of the oils were analyzed by GC/MS for biological marker compound distributions. Similarities and differences between oils were assessed using multivariate statistical methods. In general, the majority of oils were mature, of marine origin, and very similar with respect to chemical and stable carbonate isotopic compositions. Some differences were, however, observed. In particular, oils from the Oklahoma Panhandle (Pennsylvanian-Morrowan) were enriched in /sup 13/C and had high Pr/Ph values. Oils from th...
The petroleum system responsible for the oil and gas accumulations in the deepwater to ultra-deep... more The petroleum system responsible for the oil and gas accumulations in the deepwater to ultra-deepwater Gulf of Mexico (GoM) are still poorly understood today in spite of dozens of well penetrations and thousands of kilometers of 2D and 3D seismic. Numerous papers have been published on the stratigraphic and structural framework of the northern Gulf of Mexico, but only a few papers have attempted to rigorously apply the petroleum system concepts. This is due mainly to a poor knowledge of the pre-Tertiary sequence, since it has not been penetrated to date. To place the petroleum system elements into perspective for the deepwater and ultra-deepwater GoM, this paper presents an alternative interpretation of geochemical and basin modeling elements. This perspective is integrated with results of 2D TemisPack and 1D Genex basin models to arrive at a new petroleum system model for the deepwater GoM.
Understanding the deepwater petroleum system of the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) requires use of piston c... more Understanding the deepwater petroleum system of the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) requires use of piston coring seepage data, reservoired oils and shows, and a good understanding of the source rock system even though there are few penetrations of this interval. Tools are available to the geoscientists to address these issues such as 3D seismic survey. These 3D seismic surveys allow us to better locate possible seepage sites, and characterization of this seepage allows us to determine the source type or origin of the oils. Geochemical correlation techniques between oils and seepage provides information on the underlying source system, and when tied to 2D fluid flow models, allows us to address oil and gas charge issues. For the deepwater GoM these correlations indicate the presence of a primary Upper Jurassic source unit centered on the Tithonian but includes the lower Neocomian. In the central deepwater area, this source is a marl to carbonate and expels heavier and more sour (higher sulfur ...
Results of an analysis of amino acids and hydrocarbons found in the Isua banded iron formation, w... more Results of an analysis of amino acids and hydrocarbons found in the Isua banded iron formation, which contains the oldest known rocks on earth, are discussed. Similarities are pointed out between the relative amino acid abundances of the Isua rocks and those of lichens found on their surfaces, and a lack of substantial racemization indicated by the low D/L ratios in the 3800-million year old rock samples is noted. Experimental results showing the possibility of amino acid diffusion from lichens into the rocks are presented. Comparisons of the Isua rock amino acid D/L ratios with those reported for samples from other regions indicates that none of the Isua amino acids are older than a few tens of thousands to a few hundred thousand years. Analyses of the saturated hydrocarbons of the Isua samples reveals no odd carbon number preference, which may indicate antiquity, however laboratory experiments have shown that amino acids and aromatic and saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons could not ...
Proceedings of the 7th Unconventional Resources Technology Conference
GeoArabia
Five oil samples reservoired in the Cretaceous Mishrif Formation from the Ratawi, Zubair, Rumaila... more Five oil samples reservoired in the Cretaceous Mishrif Formation from the Ratawi, Zubair, Rumaila North and Rumaila South fields have been analysed using Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS). In addition, fifteen core samples from the Mishrif Formation and 81 core samples from the Lower Cretaceous and Upper Jurassic have been subjected to source rock analysis and palynological and petrographic description. These observations have been integrated with electric wireline log response. The reservoirs of the Mishrif Formation show measured porosities up to 28% and the oils are interpreted as being sourced from: (1) Type II carbonate rocks interbedded with shales and deposited in a reducing marine environment with low salinity based on biomarkers and isotopic analysis; (2) Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous age based on sterane ratios, analysis of isoprenoids and isotopes, and biomarkers, and (3) Thermally mature source rocks, based on the biomarker analysis. The geochemical ana...
Minerals
The production of crude oil from resource plays has increased enormously over the past decade. In... more The production of crude oil from resource plays has increased enormously over the past decade. In the USA, around 63% of total output in 2019 was from unconventional production. The major unconventional plays in the USA (e.g., Permian Basin, Anadarko Basin, Eagle Ford, etc.) have become some of the world’s largest oil producers. However, unlike “conventional” exploitation, the target zones in unconventional systems are generally the source rocks themselves or adjacent strata and require numerous horizontal wells and stimulation via hydraulic fracturing to meet production targets. In order to maximize production, operators have developed various well stacking methods, all of which require some form of monitoring to ensure that well spacing is optimized and fluid production is not being “stolen” from adjacent formations, thereby reducing the production potential in associated wells. This necessity, amongst other geochemical considerations related to source rock characterization, has r...
Petroleum Geochemistry and Source Rock Potential of Carbonate Rocks
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Fossilized carotenoid hydrocarbons provide a window into the physiology and biochemistry of ancie... more Fossilized carotenoid hydrocarbons provide a window into the physiology and biochemistry of ancient microbial phototrophic communities for which only a sparse and incomplete fossil record exists. However, accurate interpretation of carotenoid-derived biomarkers requires detailed knowledge of the carotenoid inventories of contemporary phototrophs and their physiologies. Here we report two distinct patterns of fossilized C40diaromatic carotenoids. Phanerozoic marine settings show distributions of diaromatic hydrocarbons dominated by isorenieratane, a biomarker derived from low-light-adapted phototrophic green sulfur bacteria. In contrast, isorenieratane is only a minor constituent within Neoproterozoic marine sediments and Phanerozoic lacustrine paleoenvironments, for which the major compounds detected are renierapurpurane and renieratane, together with some novel C39and C38carotenoid degradation products. This latter pattern can be traced to cyanobacteria as shown by analyses of cult...
29th International Meeting on Organic Geochemistry
GEO 2008
Microscopic and chemical analysis of 162 rock samples from exploratory wells and out-crops in nor... more Microscopic and chemical analysis of 162 rock samples from exploratory wells and out-crops in northern Iraq indicated that limestone, black shale, and marl within the Middle Ju-rassic Sargelu Formation contain abundant oil-prone organic matter. For example, one 7-m (23-ft) thick ...
Organic Geochemistry
Abstract Eight black residues, scraped from outer surfaces of painted ceramics, unearthed from gr... more Abstract Eight black residues, scraped from outer surfaces of painted ceramics, unearthed from graves 1–3 at Basur Hoyuk (SE Turkey), were analysed by geochemical techniques in order to characterize bitumens and to try to identify their source. Ceramics are dated from the Early Bronze period (3100–2900 BCE). The black organic matter was indeed identified as bitumen, but its source has not been discovered despite its comparison with several oil seeps from the area. The bitumen at Basur Hoyuk does not match the bitumens analyzed at Kavusan Hoyuk, Salat Hoyuk, Hakemi Use and Kuriki Hoyuk which are Cretaceous in origin and likely imported from the Eruh tars deposit. The stable carbon isotope values of their asphaltene fraction suggest a Silurian origin, however the occurrence of the 18α(H)-oleanane emphasized a younger source, i.e. Tertiary or Cretaceous. Our interpretation favours the mixture of two oils, a Silurian age and a Tertiary-Cretaceous age. This mixture may occur geologically, due to the uptake of a Tertiary signal by a Silurian oil along its migration route to the surface. It may also be a consequence of human activity carried out by the inhabitants at the mortuary ceremony where the bituminous mixture has been applied to ceramics, prior to their deposit in the graves. The oil seep character of the archaeological bitumen at Basur Hoyuk and the lack of obvious oxidation suggest the following explanation: freshly collected oil seeps were splashed on ceramics as ritual practices and the tarry potteries were then buried and therefore sealed. The fast burial prevented the bitumen from any oxidative alteration.
AAPG Bulletin
Six distinct oil tribes were established using multivariate statistical analysis of source-relate... more Six distinct oil tribes were established using multivariate statistical analysis of source-related biomarker and isotopic ratios for 73 crude oil samples from the Middle Magdalena Valley (MMV), Colombia. These six tribes show a systematic distribution by both basin location and reservoir rock age and may originate from different source rocks or different organofacies of the same source rock. Biomarker and isotopic data further differentiate the tribes with respect to source rock depositional environment, lithology, organic matter type, and thermal maturity. The thermal maturity and reservoir interval for the northernmost tribe 5 suggest a middle Cretaceous Tablazo Formation source rock. In contrast, tribes 1 through 4 are likely derived from the primary regional source rock, the Upper Cretaceous La Luna Formation. However, we observe regional differences in bulk properties, thermal maturity, terrigenous input, and oxicity between the four La Luna-derived oil tribes. In addition, tribe 3 appears to result from end-member mixing between tribes 2 and 4. Finally, the southernmost tribe 6 is the only oil with terrigenous character. Diamondoid analysis shows the presence of significant secondary cracking in the tribe 6 oil with low levels of cracking present in oil samples from tribes 1 and 2 in the central MMV. This suggests a more deeply buried nonmarine source along the western flank of the Andean Eastern Cordillera. The integration of chemometric, biomarker, and diamondoid analyses have improved our understanding of the MMV petroleum system and advocate for the presence of three or more source rock intervals within the basin.
AAPG Bulletin
The purpose of this work is to identify genetic affinities among 48 crude oil samples from the on... more The purpose of this work is to identify genetic affinities among 48 crude oil samples from the onshore and offshore Santa Maria basins. A total of 21 source-related biomarker and stable carbon isotope ratios among the samples were assessed to assure that they were unaffected by secondary processes. Chemometric analysis of these data identifies six oil families with map and stratigraphic distributions that reflect organofacies variations within the Miocene Monterey Formation source rock. The data comprise a training set that was used to create a chemometric decision tree to classify newly collected oil samples. Three onshore families originated from two synclines, which may contain one or more pods of thermally mature source rock. Multiple biomarker parameters indicate that the six oil families achieved early oil window maturity in the range of 0.6%–0.7% equivalent vitrinite reflectance. The offshore oil samples consist of one family from Point Pedernales field and two families from the “B” prospect. Geochemical characteristics of these families indicate origins under differing water column and sediment oxicity and carbonate versus siliceous and detrital input in ‘carbonate,’ ‘marl,’ and ‘shale’ organofacies like those in the lower calcareous–siliceous, carbonaceous marl, and clayey–siliceous members of the Monterey Formation elsewhere in coastal California. The corresponding lithofacies and organofacies appear to be linked to the early–middle Miocene climate optimum and subsequent paleoclimatic cooling after circa 14 Ma, a systematic up-section increase in the stable carbon isotope composition of related oil samples, decreased preservation of calcium carbonate shells from planktic foraminifera and coccoliths, and increased preservation of clay-sized siliceous shells of diatoms and radiolarians. The results show that organofacies within the Monterey source rock are responsible for many of the geochemical differences between the oil families. This paleoclimate–organofacies model for crude oil from the Monterey Formation can be used to enhance future exploration efforts in many areas of coastal California.
Petroleum Science and Technology
Similarity of Vulcan Sub-basin oils and gases to those in the northern Bonaparte Basin and the Br... more Similarity of Vulcan Sub-basin oils and gases to those in the northern Bonaparte Basin and the Browse Basin strengthens the argument that the Plover Formation has contributed significant amounts of gas and lesser amounts of liquid hydrocarbons to accumulations in the northern Bonaparte Basin, particularly in the Laminaria and Corallina fields. The Early Cretaceous Echuca Shoalssourced oils of the northern Bonaparte Basin (e.g. Elang West, Kakatua) and the Browse Basin (e.g. Caswell, Cornea) are not represented in the Vulcan Sub-basin. Source rock evaluation shows that while this latter formation has the potential to generate oil, throughout the Vulcan Sub-basin it lacks sufficient maturity to expel hydrocarbons.
Eight black residues, scraped from outer surfaces of painted ceramics, unearthed from graves 1–3 ... more Eight black residues, scraped from outer surfaces of painted ceramics, unearthed from graves 1–3 at Bas ßur Höyük (SE Turkey), were analysed by geochemical techniques in order to characterize bitumens and to try to identify their source. Ceramics are dated from the Early Bronze period (3100–2900 BCE). The black organic matter was indeed identified as bitumen, but its source has not been discovered despite its comparison with several oil seeps from the area. The bitumen at Bas ßur Höyük does not match the bitu-mens analyzed at Kavus ßan Höyük, Salat Höyük, Hakemi Use and Kuriki Höyük which are Cretaceous in origin and likely imported from the Eruh tars deposit. The stable carbon isotope values of their asphaltene fraction suggest a Silurian origin, however the occurrence of the 18a(H)-oleanane emphasized a younger source, i.e. Tertiary or Cretaceous. Our interpretation favours the mixture of two oils, a Silurian age and a Tertiary-Cretaceous age. This mixture may occur geologically, ...
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Papers by John E Zumberge